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[Jay Marr]

Got to a gig the other night, set up, put on some house music, pushed up the faders...no tops.  Then 'pop', they're on (once I pushed the master a little higher).
Ok, don't like that at all - but let's see what happens.
10 min later, tops cut out again.
Jump behind rack and replace the XLR going from my X32 to the Crown.  Push the fader, comes back to life...and is good for the night.
End of the night, I swap the cables back, and system sounds fine.  Ugh...love intermittent issues.

Fast forward - I'm home now, figure up the rack, plug a small speaker in to my 'top' output....crackly, low volume sound.  I take the same X32 output (and cable) into the other side of the amp...works fine.
Back and forth a few times...ok, it's clear, cables are fine, but channel 2 of the amp has an issue.
Let the amp run for a few min - goes from crackle low volume, to full clear volume.  So again, intermittent amp problem.
I am seeing a bit of a pattern that it seems to come in/out when the fan fires on/off.  It's not consistent as to when/if sound is clear when fan is on vs. off, it just seems that the fan flipping on and off is causing the state of the amp to 'change'.

Gear is stored in my semi-heated garage (2 car garage under my fam room, so never gets below 55).  It's cold in Boston right now...any chance this is just an 'amp components need to get warm' situation...or is this a very simple - pull the amp and send to Crown for service situation?  I've had this amp for a couple years (bought from a forum member) and it's been flawless.  Have not touched any firmware, etc.

[Tim McCulloch]

Solder fracture on one of the legs of Ch 2 input module or a ribbon cable issue.  I'm not sure how deep Crown goes into repair of legacy I-Techs.  I'm pretty sure there is a Crown-authorized service center in the Boston area and that you'll get a better service price from them than the Mothership.

[Steve-White]

Solder fracture on one of the legs of Ch 2 input module or a ribbon cable issue.  I'm not sure how deep Crown goes into repair of legacy I-Techs.  I'm pretty sure there is a Crown-authorized service center in the Boston area and that you'll get a better service price from them than the Mothership.

Yep and finding a local repair tech that does good work is a blessing for sure.

[Jay Marr]

Thanks.
I found an authorized service center not too far away.
Going to call them in the morning.

[Mike Monte]

Got to a gig the other night, set up, put on some house music, pushed up the faders...no tops.  Then 'pop', they're on (once I pushed the master a little higher).
Ok, don't like that at all - but let's see what happens.
10 min later, tops cut out again.
Jump behind rack and replace the XLR going from my X32 to the Crown.  Push the fader, comes back to life...and is good for the night.
End of the night, I swap the cables back, and system sounds fine.  Ugh...love intermittent issues.

Fast forward - I'm home now, figure up the rack, plug a small speaker in to my 'top' output....crackly, low volume sound.  I take the same X32 output (and cable) into the other side of the amp...works fine.
Back and forth a few times...ok, it's clear, cables are fine, but channel 2 of the amp has an issue.
Let the amp run for a few min - goes from crackle low volume, to full clear volume.  So again, intermittent amp problem.
I am seeing a bit of a pattern that it seems to come in/out when the fan fires on/off.  It's not consistent as to when/if sound is clear when fan is on vs. off, it just seems that the fan flipping on and off is causing the state of the amp to 'change'.

Gear is stored in my semi-heated garage (2 car garage under my fam room, so never gets below 55).  It's cold in Boston right now...any chance this is just an 'amp components need to get warm' situation...or is this a very simple - pull the amp and send to Crown for service situation?  I've had this amp for a couple years (bought from a forum member) and it's been flawless.  Have not touched any firmware, etc.

Sounds like the ribbon cable issue that I had many years ago with one of my original-run IT6000's (was taken care of under warranty).

I am located about an hour south of Boston and have also looked for a local Crown Authorized Repair Center.
In MA the only one is in Methuen, I believe.

After a little research I found a place https://crownservice.aetechron.com/
This place services Crown power amplifiers that are out of warranty.
(From what I was told, when Crown moved out of Elkhart some of Crown's repair staff moved over to AETechron.)

I had an issue with one of my XS4300 amps 1.5 years ago.  I called Crown factory Service and was told that they don't service xs amps anymore.  I called aetechron, shipped the amp, two weeks later got the amp back - all set.

If you need an Itech box to ship the unit, you can borrow mine.  (I have kept one box of each series just in case I need to ship one..)

[Mike Caldwell]

After a little research I found a place https://crownservice.aetechron.com/
This place services Crown power amplifiers that are out of warranty.
(From what I was told, when Crown moved out of Elkhart some of Crown's repair staff moved over to AETechron.)

AE Techron was actually a division of Crown, Their industrial amp division was branded "Techcron" think amplifiers that drive the magnetic coils in MRI machines and who knows what else.
 

[Tracy Garner]

Got to a gig the other night, set up, put on some house music, pushed up the faders...no tops.  Then 'pop', they're on (once I pushed the master a little higher).
Ok, don't like that at all - but let's see what happens.
10 min later, tops cut out again.
Jump behind rack and replace the XLR going from my X32 to the Crown.  Push the fader, comes back to life...and is good for the night.
End of the night, I swap the cables back, and system sounds fine.  Ugh...love intermittent issues.

Fast forward - I'm home now, figure up the rack, plug a small speaker in to my 'top' output....crackly, low volume sound.  I take the same X32 output (and cable) into the other side of the amp...works fine.
Back and forth a few times...ok, it's clear, cables are fine, but channel 2 of the amp has an issue.
Let the amp run for a few min - goes from crackle low volume, to full clear volume.  So again, intermittent amp problem.
I am seeing a bit of a pattern that it seems to come in/out when the fan fires on/off.  It's not consistent as to when/if sound is clear when fan is on vs. off, it just seems that the fan flipping on and off is causing the state of the amp to 'change'.

Gear is stored in my semi-heated garage (2 car garage under my fam room, so never gets below 55).  It's cold in Boston right now...any chance this is just an 'amp components need to get warm' situation...or is this a very simple - pull the amp and send to Crown for service situation?  I've had this amp for a couple years (bought from a forum member) and it's been flawless.  Have not touched any firmware, etc.

I have something similar on an 8000. I think it is more than ribbon cable because it stays on fine after the fizzle followed by the "pop" noise. For me it seems to cross some threshold and then its fine once I'm playing at normal volumes. If I go back to playing at very low volumes, I may encounter that fizzle again.

[Tim McCulloch]

I have something similar on an 8000. I think it is more than ribbon cable because it stays on fine after the fizzle followed by the "pop" noise. For me it seems to cross some threshold and then its fine once I'm playing at normal volumes. If I go back to playing at very low volumes, I may encounter that fizzle again.

The partial connection acts as a semi-conductor.  Once there is enough voltage to overcome the resistance it will work and continue to do so until the voltage drops enough that the failure results in an open (and one-legged) connection.  Re-flowing solder, cleaning connection points and careful inspection of IDT penetrations usually fix these kind of problems.

[Jay Marr]

I have something similar on an 8000. I think it is more than ribbon cable because it stays on fine after the fizzle followed by the "pop" noise. For me it seems to cross some threshold and then its fine once I'm playing at normal volumes. If I go back to playing at very low volumes, I may encounter that fizzle again.

Yes, this is exactly the behavior I'm experiencing.

I'm going to send to AE Techron I think.  I did see that service center in Methuen, but reading the AE Techron site, it looks like they have this exact/specific skill set.

I do believe I have a box in my attic (I usually save a couple as well   )

Thank you all for your input, very helpful.

[Tracy Garner]

Yes, this is exactly the behavior I'm experiencing.

I'm going to send to AE Techron I think.  I did see that service center in Methuen, but reading the AE Techron site, it looks like they have this exact/specific skill set.

I do believe I have a box in my attic (I usually save a couple as well   )

Thank you all for your input, very helpful.

@Jay Marr - I just sent you an email with some additional information.

[ProSoundWeb Community]